Interview by Harriet Stanley & Photography by Jenson Metcalf" /> ON THE LOOP: MARIANAS TRENCH - Local Wolves Interview by Harriet Stanley & Photography by Jenson Metcalf" />
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Music

Our writer, Harriet Stanley had an exclusive one-on-one chat with Ian Casselman of Marianas Trench as they discuss his honest experiences and transitioning back into the band’s roots when it comes music.

So 2015 has just drawn to a close; what were the biggest highs and lows of Marianas Trench throughout the year?

IC — There were not many lows for us in 2015. Recording Astoria was one of the most fun and creative experiences of our career. We set up Ramsay’s place as a live in studio and moved in all our gear. We had such a creative environment rolling and I think we produced some of our best material to date for sure.

Going back a little further to 2014, you released Astoria which is said to be based on your love for fantasy and adventure films from the 80s. Which are your top films from this era?

IC — Goonies, Back to the Future, Big trouble in Little China and ET.

Astoria’s tone is primarily upbeat and poppy like its predecessor, Ever After. There’s a striking comparison between these two albums and Masterpiece Theatre in terms of their sound, with MT featuring more elements of rock. Was this a natural transition for you as a band, and would you ever consider going back to your roots with any new music?

IC — I’d say it was an easy transition to make. We really enjoy moving forward with our sound and don’t really want to look back. It’s way more enjoyable to create a new sound than to revisit an old one. When you tour an album for a couple of years, you don’t want to do the same thing over and over again.

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There are several beautiful little interludes feature throughout Astoria. Whose idea was it to include those interludes?

IC — Josh wrote and produced these tracks and we really wanted to have interludes that would sound like they were from the soundtrack of a movie.

Previous albums showcase incredibly personal and open songs based on your own life experiences. Was it the same process when it came down to writing for Astoria?

IC — Very much so! We always like to write from our own perspective, people can more easily identify with emotions that are real and true.

Do you ever find any difficulties in sharing such honest experiences and are there ever any nerves for how fans will perceive certain tracks based on the lyrical content?

IC — For sure, displaying your personal thoughts and emotions for the world to see is not easy. Reliving the experience daily when playing live can have its drawbacks.

Which song from the record is your favorite?

IC — I’d say we all like “Astoria” and “End of an Era,” the most. The medley type songs are so much more fun to write and play live, it keeps you on your toes.

You’re due to go on the second leg of the Hey You Guys!! Tour, but how were the first set of shows for you all and Could you pinpoint a favorite moment from the first part of the tour?

IC — Amazing! The Niagara Falls show was off the hook and the highlight of the tour, for sure. It’s always fun to play in a haunted theatre. They bring the energy to a whole new level.

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Have you any plans to take the tour international?

IC — You bet, it’s in the works but we cannot yet discuss it.

As much as I adore Astoria, I can’t help but to crave more from you guys! Have you any plans to record a new album in the near future, and if so, can you give us any hints as to what we could expect in terms of a theme and/or style?

IC — We do but Astoria was just released and we will be touring it for probably two years, then it’s back to the drawing board!

2016 is looking to be a big year for music. What can we anticipate from Marianas Trench?

IC — Tour Tour Tour baby.

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